Valve apparatus



No. 624,5".l Patented may 9, |899. F. A. 'LITTLEFIELIL VALVE APPARATUS.

(Application led Apr. 22, 1398.) (No Model.)

TH: mums Pneus co. Pnomumo., wAsmNcrcN. q. c4

NrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. LITTLEFIELD, OFVNASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE VALVE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,51-1, dated May 9,1899.

Application led April 22,1898. h

. power necessary to open large valves of usual construction isobviated, the fluid-pressure being utilizedto balancethe valve, and Ihave herein so constructed the apparatus embodyin g my invention thatwhether the pressure be high or low the power necessary to operate theValve is substantially that-nec essary to overcome the friction of thecontrolling member in its stuffing-box.

The novel features of my invention will be hereinafter described in thespecification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is `a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of my novelvalve apparatus, the main valve being closed. Fig. 2 is a similardetail, but showing the controlling means in position to effect theopening of the main valve by fluid-pressure; and Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. l, with the parts in position ready to effect closure ofthe main valve.

The case or shell A is herein shown as provided with an inlet A' and anoutlet A2, and the case is divided by a diaphragm AX, having afluid-passage A3 therethrough, the edge ofthe opening being shown asupturned to form the main valve-seat ax.

The case A is in the present instance of my invention provided with anextension or chamber B, communicating by an opening a with the case, thecap C at the opposite side of the valve-seat being extended at C toprovide guide-bearings c c for the actuatingstem of the controllingmeans, to be described,

a suitable stuffing-box C2 being located at the outer end of the tubularextension of the cap. The main valve is preferably made as acentrally-apertured disk b, having a central dependingeXteriorly-threaded 4hub b' and a Serial No. 678,459. (No model.)

downturned peripheral flange b2, a ringbxof soft metal or other suitablematerial being firmly held within the flange against the under side ofthe disk Z1 by a flanged sleeve b3, screwed onto the hub b', the annulusb 4 rest-v ing onV the seat ctx when the valve is closed. Thisconstruction makes renewal of the annulus a very simple matter, so thatwhen the same becomes worn it can beremoved and a new ring insertedwithout necessitating renewal of the other parts.

The lower end of the hub b' is shown as cored out to receive the reducedend dx of a tubular stem d, passing loosely through the opening a andinto the chamberB, said stem having secured to or forming a part of it apiston D within but not necessarily fitting tightly the chamber B, thebore of the stem coinciding with that of the hub and eXtending entirelythrough the piston D, the shoul der d of the stem limiting its upwardmove# ment relatively to the hub.

By removing the cap of the valve-caseit will be seen that the main valvemay be removed bodily from the case, the stem d slida ing out from thehub b at such time.

1f steam or other fluid under pressure in the valve-case be permitted topass beneath the,- piston, several different effects may beproduced-that is, by making such exposed area of the piston enoughgreater thanwthe opposite exposed area of the main valve fluid pressureon the piston will operate to lift'the main valve from its seat. If thevtwo areas referred to are substantially the same, the

fluid-'pressure on the Vmain valve 4will be in equilibrium, and tounseat the valve only sufcient power to overcome friction will berequired, as in the present case. On the other hand, by making the areaof the main valve greater than the opposed area of the piston the forcerequired to unseat the valve may be varied as desired.

' In the embodiment of my invention shown herein the fluid underpressure passes into the chamber B beneath the piston D through thehollow stem d, and such passage of the fluid is controlled by a valveoperated from the" exterior of the valve-case. Tothis end an' annularupturned flange b4 onV the upper IOO face of the disk b is threaded toreceive a nut b5, Which surrounds the enlarged head a' of a stem d2,extended through the bearings c c and the stuffing-box C2, said stemprojecting beyond the latter to be moved manually. Below the nut b5 thehead a is ann ularly fianged, as at a3, and recessed or cupped out inits end at a4 to receive an auxiliary or controlling valve, shown as aball a5, loosely attached to the head by a pin d, the central hole inthe disk l) preferably being slightly beveled ata7 to form a seat forthe auxiliary valve, it be ing seen that the head a' has a limitedreciprocating movement between the disk I) and the nut. I-Ioles l5 inthe flange b4 permit the entrance of fiuid from the case and beneath thehead d and through the tubular stem CZ when the auxiliary valve d5 isunseated, as in Fig. 2, the loose attachment of the latter permitting itto freely adjust itself to the seat a7. When the main valve is closed,as shown in Figi, the water, steam, or other fluid enters the case A atthe inlet A and fills the case above the diaphragm A and passes throughthe holes 15 into the space between the head 1 a/ and disk b and also ontop of the auxiliary valve a5, maintaining the latter seated, and

piston-chamber and the valve-case at the inlet side of the valve. Theopening through Ithe disk bis of the same diameter as theexternaldiameter of the stem d2, so that whaterate the auxiliary valveonly sufficient power to overcome the friction in the stuffing-box isnecessary.

to open the main valve the stem a2 is lifted to unseat the auxiliaryvalve a, so that the steam or other fluid can pass freely down thehollow stem d into the chamber B beneath the piston D, the surface ofthe latter being shown herein asy slightly greater than the surface ofthe main valve on the inlet side exposed to the to maintain the valveseated, the greater area fit tightly in the chamber B. The piston thushaving the greater exposed surface, the fiuidslightly overbalance thepressure on the main valve, but not sufficiently to open said mainvalve, such movement of the latter being readily effected by sufficientpower to overcome friction applied externally to the stem a2. In Fig. 3the main valve is shown unseated; i but by slight inward pressure on thestem a2 sufficient to overcome friction the balanced main valve will beseated,and finally the auxiliary valve will be moved to its seat, sothat communication through the stem CZ between valve seat is shut off,as shown in Fig. 1.-

Myinvention is not restricted to the precise construction andarrangement herein shown, for the same may be varied or rearrangedWithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a case having aValve-seat therein, a cooperating main valve, fluid-pressure-actuatedmeans to mechanically balance pressure on the inlet side of the valve,and a manually operated controlling device for said means, said devicealso acting to open or close the valve.

2. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a case having avalve-seat therein,

. a cooperating main valve, a fiuid-pressure-actuated piston connectedwith the valve by a i detachable hollow stem provided witha valveseat,and a controlling-valve for the seat in the stem, operative from theexterior of the case, to control the operation of the main valve.

3. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising acase having avalve-seat therein,

l and a piston-chamber communicating with thereby closing communicationbetween the the case, a main valve movable in the case, a pistonreciprocable in said chamber, a detachable hollow stem connecting saidvalve and piston, whereby fluid can pass from the inlet side of theformer to the opposite side ever-the pressure of the fluid the stem andl -its head d are balanced, and in order to opof the latter, acontrolling-valve, a seat therefor on said stem, all wholly within thecase,

and means operative from the exterior of the case to control themovement of the main valve. In the operat1on of the apparatus shown 4.Au apparatus of the character specified, comprising a case having avalve-seat therein r a coperating main valve having an attached hollowstem, a fiuid-pressure-operated piston 1 connected with said stem, anauxiliary valve to open or close the opening through said stem, and amanually-operated stem connected with and having a limited movementindepressure of the fiuid, such pressure tending pendent of the mainvalve, the auxiliary valve i being supported and moved by the stem.being necessary, because the piston does not l 5. In an apparatus of thecharacter specified, a case having a valve-seat within it, a coperatingmain valve comprising a disk pressure upon its under side will tend tohaving a central hollow hub and a peripheral flange, an annularremovable member adapted to be inserted within the flange, means mountedon the hub to retain said member in place, and means to operate thevalve, said annular member engaging the valve -seat when the valve isclosed.

6. In an apparatusof the character speci- 1 fied, a case having avalve-seat within it, a l cooperating main valve having a detachablehollow stem extended through the seat, a piston on the other end of thestem, a chamber the chamber B and the inlet side of the mainin which-itis movable, an auxiliary valveseat on the main valve at the opening ofthe stem, a ball-valve to cooperate therewith, and

.a balanced stem to which said ball-valve is In testimony whereof I hvesigned my loosely connected, said stem havingalimited name to thisspeeieation in the presence of movement independent-,of the main valve,two subscribing Witnesses.

unseatiug of the ball-'valve permitting pas- FRANK A. LITTLEFIELD. 5sage of fluid from the easing to the Chamber Witnesses:

below the piston, to thereby balance the main JOHN COWPER EDWARDS,

valve by fluid-pressure on the piston. AUGUSTA E. DEAN.

